Superior’s elected leaders approved a blueprint for future development in the town of 12,500 by passing a comprehensive plan Monday night, Dec. 10, that attracted no shortage of debate.

The most rigorous dispute centered on the future of a 15-acre parcel at the northeast corner of Coalton Road and McCaslin Boulevard, where a proposed residential neighborhood has run into stiff opposition from those who live nearby.

The area, known as “Opportunity Area 7,” has been eyed by Richmond American for housing, but that possibility has enraged nearby neighbors who fear houses will be built too close to their own. They’d prefer the parcel become open space or be used for a community purpose, like a park or recreation center.

A couple of trustees, including Mayor Andrew Muckle, wondered why residents would risk having a large commercial development built at the corner in place of homes. But in the end, the board chose to keep the site’s land use designation commercial, with the possibility of a community-oriented use there as well.

Superior carved out 11 other opportunity areas throughout town, where residential, commercial or civic projects have been identified as preferred uses. One of the most significant is Superior Town Center, at the southeast corner of McCaslin Boulevard and U.S. 36, where a high-density residential and walkable retail community is envisioned.

Superior’s comprehensive plan, which was last updated in 2006, attempts to identify the sort of development the town would like to see in remaining vacant plots. The document acts as a vision statement only, and no zoning decisions were made Monday.

This year’s update began early in the year and culminated last month with a robust debate at Town Hall that was cut short by a power outage.